The lessons in parables

I am tired today, and a wee bit demoralised by ...(you know...it is THAT TIME of the year).
Anyway, I was surfing the net to find ways to perk the flagging spirits.  No...I am not going by way of ebay...that's too dangerous on the pockets.

I read of the stories that are readily available, and because I am re-visiting the narratives with my 4Ns, I came across some parables.  Here's one that I will share today to reflect upon the lessons learnt.


 Who Is The Rich Man?



One day a wealthy father took his son on a trip to the country so that the son could see how the poor lived. They spent a day and a night at the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
 "Very good, Dad!"
"Did you see how poor people can be?"
"Yeah!"
"And what did you learn?"
 The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden; they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the house; they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard; they have the whole horizon."
When the little boy was finished, the father was speechless.
His son then added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are!" 
 
So it is pretty obvious that whole exercise was a futile one. However, is the child totally wrong?
 
1.  Never make assumptions.  As a parent, as a teacher, I make the mistake of thinking that children have the 'wisdom' and the depth of maturity that we want them to show.  Unless I specifically point out what I want them to see and learn, most of the time, they don't know what we expect them to learn.
 
2.  Communicate your expectations.  Like the first point, you need to explicitly say what you feel and think, and the reasons behind your views.  Do not be defensive. Do not come with pre-conceived notions.
 
3.  Understand that perceptions differ...and that it is ok to be different in thinking.  In this case, if the child has been brought up in a priviledged environment, will he really know what it means to be 'poor' in the first place?
 
4.  As an adult, I have been guilty of always trying to 'keep up with the Jones'...Having 'more' is relative...and the fault of us humans...we are envious, and always have looked at what we think we 'don't have' rather than what we have...
 

Really...there were many sighs that went around the room this morning.  I too thought of joining in before I found this little gem.

"May God give you...
For every storm a rainbow,
for every tear a smile,
for every care a promise
and a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share,
for every sigh a sweet song and
an answer for each prayer.”
God

Remind me of your blessings, and to be more than grateful for what I have.
What I do not have, suppress the desire to possess.